Table 17 by Douglas Lyons - ★★★★☆
The 90s and 00s felt like a golden era of Black entertainment in America. From the crystal falsettos and smoother than velvet runs that dominated RnB, and the falling to knees and crying in the rain music videos that came with them, to the rom-coms that taught us how to love in colour; a moment in time that feels impossible to recreate. The art of yearning, pride rising and falling, loving and learning loudly, unashamedly. If art is always reflective of the current state of the world, it might seem like we are in a cost of loving crisis, making the craft of romance feel like a relic, lost in the archives of DVDs and classic vinyls. But can we run it back? To emulate the very essence of Darius reciting a “Blues for Nina” in Love Jones, or Monica going double or nothing in Love & Basketball, playing for Quincy’s heart. Douglas Lyons’ Table 17 proves to be an unequivocal yes. Table 17 is a live taping of your favourite ‘00s black sitcom, and we get the chance to sit in the audience providing the laugh track.
Lyons tells a love story that is equal parts complicated, reviving, messy and spirit-lifting. Whilst Table 17 is inspired mostly by Lyons’ life-long love and appreciation for the canon of black rom-coms, the play doesn’t feel like a throwback, or an attempt to recreate these classics in their entirety. Instead, it embraces the lives of its current audience, speaking to experiences that we are living through, becoming a fresh reinvention of a classic recipe. The show is set in a corner booth, that doubles as the bar, in the kind of restaurant you frequent for the vibes more than the food. Amy Jane’s set feels both hyper-realistic and surreal, embedding the story in lights that belong in the club but double as an abstract storytelling device.
Table 17’s romantic leads are Jada (Marisha Wallace) and Dallas (Jamael Westman). Jada opens the show, standing on the table that will soon become the oasis of the telling of her love story. Wallace makes Jada’s presence immediately felt. There is nothing quiet about her confidence, and her love for herself. Vibrant, aloof and endearing she lets us know she is on her way to dinner with her ex-fiance Dallas, who she has had no contact with for two years. It’s not long before we meet the man who makes her change her outfit, and makes her heart beat faster. With all of the confidence that a man would need to rock corduroy trousers in 2026, when Dallas takes the stage, he matches Jada’s energy entirely. He is equally nervous, excited, nurturing a mixture of anticipation and fear of the unknown.
Zhalilon Levingston’s direction makes both characters feel like the protagonists of their own blockbusters, meeting somewhere in the middle of a shared cinematic universe. Monologues are performed like excerpts from their own stand-up shows, with audience encouragement not just welcomed but encouraged. Lighting design from Matt Haskins sees them bathed in contrasting colours each time they break the fourth wall, sound design from George Dennis gives them their own theme songs. The world that Lyons creates for these characters is brought to life vividly and brilliantly by the cast and creatives, and it feels like an immersive rendering of a love story that we’ve heard before, but feels brand new
The chemistry between Wallace and Westman is palpable and entertaining throughout, both meeting each other and the full extent of their respective characters’ joy, devastation and liberation. They deliver performances that bring comedic genius, physical comedy and genuine heart centre stage. The true standout however can be found in Michael Rishawn as River the “bitterly single” host and waiter who is flamboyant, sassy and as eager as the audience to see how the story unfolds, Eric the foil to Jada’s love for Dallas and a Bartender who takes so much pride in his work, the sound of his voice along might get you tipsy. Lyons’ script ensures that despite being the supporting characters of Jada and Dallas’ story, each one has a life of their own that feels fully fleshed and realised, and Rishawn’s delivery is perfect for each one. Each character feels distinct, and he is unrecognisable in all of three roles.
The show is incredibly entertaining, but the story towards the end veers towards melodramatic and lacking in depth. The show speaks to a largely Black-American experience, which many of us across the pond have experienced mostly via osmosis through digital media and the ongoing effects of the globalisation of culture, which for the most part makes the show feel like a familiar embrace. As the show reaches its climax the differences in approach to storytelling becomes more stark, as the resolution between Jada and Dallas is abrupt and relies on shock factor rather than easing us back into the dynamic of the characters. This makes the play feel more surface-level than we had anticipated from the start. There are however beautiful declarations of love that read like music for the heart, and give us the warmth every love story needs.
Table 17 is a much needed night of indulgence, belly laughter, and the same level of soul and madness as your favourite pantomime. Lyons and Levingston achieve their goal of telling a story that is incredibly fun, sometimes ridiculous, but always warm and effortlessly charming. It might not make you text your ex (or it might, no judgement) but it will definitely make you smile, and remember it fondly.
★★★★☆
Melody Adebisi
Table 17 is showing at Kiln Theatre until 24 October